Kelly Patrick is my new Mansion Liason.
She is one of the most loving and attentive Mansion aides I’ve seen in my time there.
We worked together several years ago, and then she left the Mansion for a while. When I started working there, Kelly was invaluable. She was the first person at the Mansion to tell me who needed shoes, toiletries, blankets, boots, or sweaters.
She made it all work. She is also one of the nicest people I have ever met.
She pays close attention to the residents, spots the needy and the vulnerable, and lets me know. We more or less formalized the Liason position because some of the residents were hoarding some clothes, some weren’t sure about what they needed, and some had their own money. We try to focus support on the neediest residents, and Kelly knows that as well as anybody.
All requests to me go through her.
Tania Woodward was my liaison to the Mansion; she left two weeks ago to pursue a nursing career. I can’t thank her enough. She was always helpful and great fun. And she knows the residents as well as anyone. It is a joy to see her work with them. Tanis is an amazing human being, we have become good friends. I wish her every luck in her new career, which she already loves.
She gets to give people needles and check their vitals.
The liaison also helps when I have large boxes or packages to bring to the Mansion. Kelly will help me carry the boxes in and ensure they get where they are supposed to go.
I go in and out of the Mansion a half dozen times a week; Kelly makes it so much easier and more productive. She knew Zinnia when Zinnia was just a puppy, and the two have a great thing going. When Zinnia sees Kelly, she flops over on her back to get her belly scratched.
We will be texting a lot, starting today, especially as winter approaches. I love working with Kelly; she is nice, generous in spirit, loving, and always helpful. She has the greatest love for the residents.
I gave Kelly’s grandson the Robot I bought for Robin since Robin now makes her own robots. He loves Legos.
P.S. The residents always need toiletries, disenfectant soap, deodorant, and shampoo. If you can and wish, please send some to Toiletries, c/o Bonnie, The Mansion, 11 S. Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.